Bottle-capping means.



T. L. VALERIUS 61 OJLARSEN.

BOTTLE CAPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10.1914.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1 T. L. VALERIUS & O. LARSEN.

BOTTLE CAPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10. 19m.

1,289,972. Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(CU/@515 Is (Maul/015 T. L. VALERIUS & 0. LARSEN.

BOTTLE CAPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION lflLED JULY 10.1914.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WAf Vw T. L. VALERIUS & O. LARSEN.

BOTTLE CAPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10.1914.

m yiwf T. L. VALERIUS & 0. LARSEN.

BOTTLE CAPPING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY Io. I9I4.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5- Q 5 m. f 5M 1% cappers, showing a bottle in operativerela-j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNORS 'ro THE CREAMERY PACKAGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-GAPPINQ MEAN S.

. Application filed July 10, 1914. Serial No. 850,128.

r with a bottle.

To all whom it may concern." I

Be it known that we, THEODORE L.'.VALER- ms and OLAF LARSEN, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Fort Atkinson, 1n the county of Jeflerson and State of Wisconsm, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bottle-Cappin Means, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to machines for cappin bottles, particularly suchbottles as are use for milk and cream, the invention bein particularlyapplicable to machines for fil ing and capping cased bottles.

Generally stated, the object of the inven-' tion is to simplify theconstruction of machines of this class. This object is attained in partby using capping devices whlchhave no operativeconnection with thedriving mechanism ,and which are actuated simply by the operation ofpressing the bottles against the capping devices.

Herein the invention islillustrated and-described in connection with acombined fillingand capping machine in which filling means of suitableconstruction and operation are employed togetherwith suitable means forforwarding the bottle cases into and out of operative position. v

In the drawings, Fi "re 1 is a'top plan view of a machine em oddying thefeatures of our invention. Fig. 2 isa view taken approximately in theplane of dotted line-2+2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the tionthereto. -Fig. 2 illustrates a means for detachably securing'each capperin place.

' Fig. 2 is afragmental view, illustrating the means for supporting thecappers. Fig. 3 is a view of the front end ofthe machine the lowerportion being sectioned in the plane of dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a top plan view of the elevator and its guiding means. Fig. 5is afragmental side elevation showing the driving means. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal sectional view taken in the plane of dotted line 6- 6 of Fig.2. Fig. 7 is a fragmental view showin the forwarding mechanism, the viewbeing taken in the plane of dotted line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is anelevation partly in section illustrating one of the ca pers. Fig. 9 is alongitudinalsection of t e capper in association Specification ofLetters Patent Patented Dec. 31,1918

10 is a transverse sec' Fi tion on line 10 of F ig. 8, and Figs. 11 and12 are transverse sections on line 11 ofFig.9

and'lin'e 12 of Fig.8, respectively. The embodiment herein shown of ourinvention comprises "two standards or side frames 1 and 2 rigidlysecured together in any suitable manner.- Uponthese standards aresupported suitable mechanism for filling the bottles preliminary to thecapping operation, which may :comprise a stationary tank'3 for theliquid with which the bottles are to be filled. A stationary plate 4 isalso i'nounted upon-the standards to support the cappers. The tank3..'is provided with filling valves 5 of any suitable or well-knowncharacter, said valves being arranged in position to register with thebottles contained within a bottle case. ,Herein the valves 5 are shownasarranged to fill a case of twelve quart bottles, but it'will beunderstood that the valves might be arranged to fill pint bottles, ofwhich there are usually twenty in a case. The valves 5 are preferablyarranged in two groups, there being one .dozen valves in each'group. Thegroups of fillingyahes are arranged along the machine in posltion tooperate successively. The first group of filling valves fills thebottles in a given case partially full. The second group of valvescompletes the-filling of the bottles. An advantage of thus filling thebottles in two steps is that the foam caused by the initial part ofthefilling is allowed to subside before the filling is completed.

The cappers are. so constructed that they are operable simplybyengagement of the bottle therewith. 'In order to provide the spacerequired for the cappers, they are divided into two groups of sixcappers each,

the cappers'of each group in the present instance being arranged instaggered relation to each other. The first group is positioned so as'tocap'half of th'ebottles in a case, some in-each row, while the second.group caps the remaining bottles in the case. b

The bottle cases are moved along beneath the groups of filling valvesand cappers, and are periodically raised to place the bottles inoperative relation to the valves and cappers. The end of the machine atwhich the bottle cases are introduced (2'. e., the right hand end inFig. 2) will be hereinafter termed the front end of the machine.

The cappers, which are of the type d1sclosed in our prior Patent No.1,139,931 dated May 18, 1915, are unitary in their character, beingstructurally independent of each other, and are detachably mounted uponthe supporting plate 1 so as to be individually removable. The cappersare arranged to be operated solely by engagement of the bottlestherewith. The construction and mounting of the cappers may be describedas follows:

Each capper comprises a tubular body 6 having a bell-mouth 7 and a capmagazine .8, the magazine being alined with and rigidly secured to thebody in any suitable way. The magazine extends slidably through anopening in the capper-su'pporting plate 4. 9 is a cam fixed to acollar.15 and arranged to actuate a cap-ejecting slide 9 which isreciprocable transverselyin the body and is arranged to singly andsuccessively eject the lowermost cap in the magazine. The ejected capfalls ontoan exteriorly-positioned curved guide 9 which is pivoted atits upper end and by which the cap is directed into position to bedepressed -into the bottle by a cap-seating punch 10 slidable in thebody 6, the guide 9 being swung to one side by the plunger as the latter descends. The punch 10 is supported from the plate 1 by means of tworods 11, the upper ends of which extend slidably through openings intheplate Above said plate the rods are provided with an annular groove tofit the narrow portion of a key-hole slot 12 in a washer 13. Said washerlies upon the plate 4 and is held against rotation by means of a lockpin ll fixed in the plate Land passing freely through the wide portionof one of the slots 12. The cam 9 is supported by a ring 15 in which themagazine 8 is freely slidable. The ring 15 bears against shoulders 11formed on the rods 11 by enlarging the diameter of the same. Coiledsprings 16 are interposed between the plate 4 and the ring 15, saidsprings normally holding the capseating punch 10 and the ring 15 in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The lower ends of the rods 11 areconnected to a cross rod 10* entered through the punch 10 (Fig. 12) withits opposite ends protruding through vertical slots 6* in the body 6,which slots permit relative longitudinal movement of the punch and body.When the parts are in their normal or inoperative position, the body 6and magazine 8 thereon .are supported by the ends of the rod 10 bearingin the upper ends of the slots 6 When a bottle is pressed against thebell-mouth 7, the body 6 and the magazine 8 rise until the bottlestrikes the cap-seating punch 10, a cap having previously been fed intoposisesame tion between the bottle and the punch. When the cap is' fullyseated, the upper end of the body 6. strikes the ring 15. Continuingupward movement of the bottle causes the ring 15 to rise, thus relievingthe punch 10 of pressure of the springs 16 and permitting the punch torise with the bottle. \Vhen the bottle is lowered, the body v6 and themagazine 8 descend by gravity to their normal position.

The bottle cases are supported beneath the filling valves and thecappers upon two parallel slide rails 17, the forward and rear portionsof said railsbeing rigidly secured together-by means of two cross pieces18. Secured to the ends of the cross pieces 18 below the rails 17 aretwo bars 19 (Fig. 7). It will be seen that the rails 17 cross pieces 18and bars 19 form a rigid frame. Said frame issupported for reciprocationupon rollers 20, said rollers being carried by a drip pan orltrough 21which is rigidly secured to the standards 1 and 2. This drip-pan is ofopen rectangular shape through the central opening of which theelevating means to be later described operates. The bars 19 extendthrough guideways 22 (Figs. 3 and 7) formed in the side edges of thetrough 21. To the forward end of each of the rails 17 is secured asupport 23 in which rollers 24 are journaled. Fixed to the rails 17 arespacer blocks 25 for the purpose of spacing the bottle cases the properdistance apart so that the bottles therein shall register with thefilling valves. and the cappers. The rear ends of the roller supports 23serve as stops to position the last case. 26 are stationary case guides(see Fig. 2) and 27 are stationary rail guards (see Figs. 1, 6 and 7).

The rails 17 are moved toward the rear end of the machine to advance thecases by means of a cam 28 (see Fig. 2) fixed upon a shaft 29, saidshaft being rotatably mounted in the standards 1 and 2. The cam 28operates upon a roller 30 carried by a fork 31 which is rigidlyconnected to a sleeve 32, said sleeve being mounted upon a shaft 33.Rigid with the sleeve 32 are two arms 34 which are connected by means oflink 35 to brackets '36 fixed to the bars 19. The roller 30 is heldagainst the periphery of the cam 28 by means of a weight 37 attached toa cable 38, said cable being secured to the forward bracket 18 andrunning overa guide sheave 39. It will be seen'that as the shaft 29 isrotated, the rails 17 will be reciprocated.

After each rearward movement of the rails 17, the four bottle cases thatare directly beneath the filling valves and the cappers are lifted offthe. rails to place the bottles in operative relation to the fillingvalves and the cappers, by means of an elevator 40 (see Figs. 2 and 6),said elevator being provided at opposite sides with guides 41 which aremounted for vertical movement in guideway 42 formed upon the inner sidesof the standards 1 and 2. Upon the top of the elevator is a table 43(see Figs. 3 and 6). On the upper side of the table 43 are four sets ofribs 44 (Fig. 6), each set of ribs being adapted to extend int a bottlecase far enough to bear against and thus support the wires or otherelements that constitute the bottom of the case, when the case iselevated. When the bottles are pressed against the filling valves andthe cappers, the pressure of the bottles upon the wires is borne by theribs 44, thus obviating injurious stress upon the wires.

The elevator 40 is raised by means of the cam 28 (see Fig. 2), said camoperating against a roller 45 which is located at the pn'otal joint ofthe toggle arms 46. The lower toggle arm is pivoted at 47, the uppertoggle arm being pivoted to the elevator 40 at 48.

T 0 one end of the shaft 29 is fixed a spur gear .wheel 49 (Fig. 1) thatmeshes with a pinion 50. The pinion 50 isrotatably mounted upon a studshaft 51 'on the standard 1. The pinion is rigidly fixed to a changegear wheel 52 that meshes with a pinion 53, the latter being rigidlymounted upon a shaft 54. One end of the shaft 54 carries a drive pullely55.

A platform 56 is secured to and extends between the forward ends of therail guards 27. Said platform is located just above the plane of therails 17, so that the rails may extend beneath the platform whentherails move forward.

Assuming the parts to be in the osition shown in Fig. 2, the 0 erationis as ollows: The cam 28 actuates t e elevator 40 to raise the fourbottle cases and hold them elevated for a time. The operator places acase of empty bottles on the rollers 24. As the roller 30 runs off thedwell 28 the weight 37 draws the rails 17 forward (to the right). Thecase which the operator placed upon the rollers 24 is prevented frombeing carried to the right, as the rear edge of the platform 56 acts asa stop to detain the case; consequently as the rollers24 pass under theplatform 56 said bottle case is pushed off the rollers onto the rails 17between the rear ends of the supports 23 and the adjacent pair of spacerblocks 25.. As the roller 45 runs off the dwell 28, the elevatordescends, depositing the bottle cases on the rails 17. As the roller 30runs off the dwell 28*, the rails 17 move rearwardly, thereby advancingthe cases so that the bottle case last placed upon the rails is beneaththe first group of filling valves. The elevator then lifts four of thecases leaving the fifth case containing filled and capped bottlesstanding on the rails. If the case containing filled and capped bottlesis not lifted off the rails 17 by a workman before the rails again movetoward the front, said case is carried against the case that is inoperative relation to the second group of cappers, and is therebydetained as the rails move to the front.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a cased-bottle capper, a group of rappersadapted to cap certain ofthe bottles in a case, another group of cappers adapted to cap theremaining bottles in the case, means for causing simultaneous relativemovement between said groups of cappers and two cases of bottles, andmeans for forwarding the cases with relation to the groups of cappers.

2. A bottle capper having, in combination. a stationary supportingmember, a capper carried by said member and comprising a cap magazinemovable uprightly in said support, a plunger, and a horizontally reciprocatory cap ejector actuated by movement of the magazine to feed acap beneath the plunger, and means for raising a bottle into engagementwith said magazine and plunger to actuate the capper and for thenlowering the bottle.

3. In a bottle capper, a stationary supporting member, a cappercomprising a body providing a cap magazine, a cap-seating punch in saidbody, said punch being yieldingly supported by said member, said bodybeing adapted to be engaged by a bottle. and be lifted thereby, andmeans for lifting a bottle first into contact with said body and theninto operative relation to the punch.

4. A bottle capping machine having, in combination, means for movingbottles horizontally 'step by step through the machine, cappingmechanism located above the path of horizontal movement of the bottlesand comprising a horizontally disposed support stationarily mounted inthe machine and a plurality of independent unitary cappers carried bysaid support, each of said 'eappers comprising a tubular body, avertically alined tubular cap magazine vertically slidable through saidsupport, a plunger within said body yieldably suspended directly fromsaid support, and means operable solely by engagement of a bottle withsaid body for delivering individual caps from said magazine intoposition beneath said plunger, the latter acting to apply the cap to thebottle. and means operating between the horizontal steps of movement ofthe bottles for raising the bottles into engagement with said cappers.

5. In a cased-bottle capper, two groups of cappers, each groupcontaining half as many eappers as there are bottles in a case, thecappers of the first group being adapted to cap certain of the bottlesin a given case, and the cappers of the second group being adaptcd tocap the remaining bottles in the given case, and means for causingsimultaneous relative movement between said groups of cappers and twocases of bottles.

'6. In a machine for capping bottles, a horizontal support, and a cappersupported in upright position by-said support and comprising a body, arod at one side of body and 'operatively associated therewith, said thesupport.

in upright position bysaid support and'comprising a body, a rodoperatively associated therewitln'said'body and rod being verticallyslidable through thesupport in the operation of the capper, a memberfixed against relative vertical movement on the upper end'of said rodand being movable laterally relative thereto for detachment therefrom,and means carried by the sup port normally locking said member againstlateral movement relative to said rod, said member being movablevertically out of en gagement with said locking means.

8. Inabottle capper, a stationary sup porting member, a capper body, acap magazine adapted to contain a stack of caps,.

said magazine being connected to said body and slidable through saidsupporting member, a cap-seating punch within said body, andpunch-supporting means engaging said supporting member. I p

9. In a bottle capper, a stationary supporting member, a capper body, acap magazine adapted to contain astack of caps, said magazine beingconnected to said body and slidable through said supporting member, .acap-seating punch within said body, and two rods engaging saidsupportingmember and said punch, said rods being located at opposite sides of saidbody.

10. In a bottle capper, a supporting member, a capper body, a capmagazine connected to the body and vertically slidable through saidsupporting member, a cap-seating punch within the body, two rods one ateach side of said body, said rods extending slidably through thesupporting member, means engaging said rods above said supporting memberfor supporting the rods,

and springs bearing against said rods and yieldingly holding the rodsand the punch in normal position. I 11. In a bottle capp'er, asupporting m em her, a capper body,'a cap magazine connected to the bodyand vertically slidable 65,

through .said supporting member, a capseating punch within the body, tworods one at each side of said body, said rods extending slidably throughthe supporting member, a member detachably engaging said rods above saidsupporting member for supporting the rods, and springs bearing againstsaid rods and yieldingly holding the rods and the punch in normalposition.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands in the presence of twowitnesses.

H. H Cmrrrs, HUBERT E. LEMKE.

